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State of our infrastructure assets
Providing infrastructure that meets community needs and expectations is fundamental to the economic, social and cultural vibrancy of Lake Macquarie City. The challenge in managing our assets is to maintain and enhance existing infrastructure while continuing to provide new infrastructure for our growing city.
$2.57 BILLION
total infrastructure assets*
$1.13 BILLION
roads and bridges assets
$611 MILLION
drainage/stormwater assets
$505 MILLION
traffic and transportation assets
$222 MILLION
buildings assets
$126 MILLION
parks and reserves assets
4000 HECTARES
natural areas assets
*$2.57 billion is the written down value of our total infrastructure assets. The replacement value of these assets is $3.96 billion.
ASSET MANAGEMENT PLANS
Through asset management planning, Council takes a whole-of-life approach to managing infrastructure assets. Our Asset Management Plans (AMPs) identify the levels of service we currently provide, future demands on our assets, as well as planned improvements.
Expenditure projections and funding requirements are identified for the next 20 years, allowing for projected cost increases and growth in assets.
This includes planning, creation, operation, maintenance, renewal and disposal of assets.
The AMPs are closely aligned with Council’s Long-Term Financial Plan to ensure required funding is identified for the upkeep of our assets.
AMPs cover Council’s key infrastructure asset classes:
• buildings • drainage/stormwater • natural areas • parks and reserves • roads and bridges • traffic and transportation.
CAPITAL RENEWAL
Capital renewal is usually major work that restores an existing asset to its original condition. The total amount spent on infrastructure capital renewal for the 2020-2021 financial year was $44 million. A key performance target relating to asset management is the Capital Renewal Funding Gap. This is the difference between the required renewal expenditure (which is based on a range of factors, including asset condition and remaining life) and what is planned to be funded in the Long-Term Financial Plan.
The current Capital Renewal Funding Gap for Council’s infrastructure is $59 million. This represents 2.3 per cent of the written down value of our asset base. A primary reason for the renewal funding gap is that over past years, infrastructure costs have increased faster than Council’s income.
Council continues to implement a range of measures to manage the funding gap over the long term, including: • increasing expenditure on asset renewal • improving asset knowledge (performance, condition and remaining life) • improving maintenance to extend asset lives and defer projected renewal • improving efficiency in delivery of maintenance and renewal • developing and using low-cost renewal methods • rationalising (disposing) of unnecessary and low-use assets • reviewing service levels • redistributing funding allocations.
MAINTENANCE
Asset maintenance is the regular ongoing work necessary to keep assets operating so they provide the required levels of service to our community. Maintenance funding needs to keep pace with rising costs associated with the growing size and age of the infrastructure base, changing standards and increasing community expectations.
Buildings Drainage/stormwater Natural areas Parks and reserves Roads and bridges Traffic and transportation
Total
$’000
$3,305 $2,710 $3,529 $14,929 $7,197 $1,288
$32,958 ASSET MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS
Council has continued to make significant improvements to its asset base and asset management capabilities in line with its Asset Management Improvement Plan. Council established an Asset Management Working Group to monitor implementation of the Asset Management Improvement Plan and work through issues related to asset management principles. This internal group also oversees execution of the Asset Management Strategy. It provides a platform for staff to collaborate in pursuit of the shared goal of sustainable asset lifecycle management on behalf of the community.
The focus of the working group during 2020-2021 has been to commence a review of the strategic asset framework and supporting activities.
There are four key aspects to this review:
1. Asset maturity assessment 2. Data collection practices review 3. Asset risk profile and framework 4. Asset management documentation review.
Through these activities, Council will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational activities to contribute to improvements in asset management.
A revised Asset Management Strategy and Asset Management Plans will be developed and adopted in 2021-2022. These will be supported by an updated Asset Management Improvement Plan, to provide the roadmap for future maturity in asset management.
BUILDINGS
Council provides a strategic asset management system for all of its building assets to enable the effective and efficient delivery of building-related services to the community. Some of the major challenges facing Council in providing these services include meeting our growing city’s need for an increase in infrastructure and balancing these needs with those forecasted on ageing infrastructure.
Council has made further progress in gathering and incorporating information regarding the needs of users of public facilities such as community halls, public toilets, swim centres and libraries. This has involved combining condition ratings with serviceability and functionality, to ensure the best approach is taken.
Managing this class of assets involves ensuring our existing buildings comply with current regulations and includes essential service regulations (fire ratings, correct egress), Australian Standards, the National Construction Code, guidelines for safe pool operations and retrofitting of sustainability features to our buildings.
36 community buildings
meeting places for community groups and not-for-profit organisations
29 operating buildings
works depots and administration buildings, Rural Fire Service buildings and State Emergency Service facilities
14 child care-related buildings and structures
full day care facilities, family day care and operational structures
6 aged care and disability service facilities
support for seniors and people with disability, including the Cardiff Senior Citizens Centre and many Meals on Wheels operations
8 library facilities
located in key locations throughout the city
3 cultural buildings
Museum of Art and Culture (MAC), Warners Bay Theatre and Rathmines Theatre
4 multi-purpose buildings
located in key locations throughout the city
6 aquatic facilities
Lake Mac Swim Centres, plus an Athletics Australia-accredited regional athletics centre (Hunter Sports Centre)
136 public amenity buildings 4 surf lifesaving clubs 108 sporting facilities
providing for sports such as cricket, soccer, netball, tennis, rugby union, rugby league and equestrian events
TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION
Council provides and maintains transportation infrastructure assets to serve the transport needs of local communities, including people with a varying range of abilities. Transport assets are integrated with Council’s roads, drainage, parks and community facilities.
665km footpaths/shared pathways
379 bus shelters and seats
248 bins and signs
7.5km fences, guardrails and bollards
1664m² roundabouts (57 items)
223 speed humps
67,777m² medians and traffic islands (558 items)
9954m² pedestrian medians and refuges
(232 items)
2541m² kerb blisters (181 items)
NATURAL AREAS
Council manages an array of natural area assets. The areas are largely bush fire-prone and Council has fire trails and asset protection zones to protect life and property from the risk of bush fire. The major issues facing the areas are increasing costs, an increasing population and continued changes to legislative obligations. The natural areas asset group provides vital safety, amenity and ecosystem services for the local community and broader region. The major asset issues for the natural areas group are the extensive interface between developed and natural areas, the fragmentation of natural areas into smaller sites, illegal dumping and the lack of historical asset management for the natural areas group.
4000ha of natural areas consisting of approximately 1200 individual clusters or sites
19 fire trails
188 asset protection zones
PARKS AND RESERVES
Council provides a network of parks and reserves to enable a diverse range of quality passive and active recreational opportunities for residents and visitors of Lake Macquarie. Many existing parks and reserves are reliant on associated infrastructure across other parks, sports grounds, foreshore areas and cemeteries. Management of these assets includes ensuring the existing network of infrastructure is replaced in line with the forecasted demands identified in the relevant strategies. These actions must also be balanced with a whole-of-life approach to asset management, including maintaining agreed service levels.
123 playgrounds distributed across parks and sporting grounds in the city
34 jetties
31 boat ramps
5 marine waste transfer facilities
19 fish cleaning tables
Open space utilities including bubblers, outdoor showers, barbecues, lights and lead-in poles
Sport-specific structures and surfaces
including netball and tennis courts, tiered seating, dug outs and sports lighting
Open space structures including park furniture such as seats, tables, shelters, viewing platforms and fences
Cemetery and memorial-specific
structures, niche walls, cemetery beams, war memorials and commemorations
ROADS AND BRIDGES
Council provides a network of roads, bridges and associated assets to meet the local transport needs of the Lake Macquarie community. The condition of roads and bridges assets are assessed annually. Actions to address any issues identified are prioritised systematically to develop a forward program for capital and maintenance works.
1376.5km roads
1824km kerb and channel
85 road bridges
35 pedestrian road bridges
80 pedestrian park bridges
19 park viewing decks
2 underpasses
162 sealed car parks
17 concrete car parks
45 gravel car parks
DRAINAGE/STORMWATER
Council provides a stormwater network to enable safe and effective collection and disposal of stormwater. There are performance deficiencies in stormwater assets at several locations throughout the city. Works to address these issues are prioritised systematically to develop a forward program for capital upgrade works.
718.1km pipes
31,368 pits, inlets and outlets
107km open drains
714 stormwater quality improvement devices
and flood mitigation structures
STATUTORY REPORTING
